Traction-engine



(No Model.)

3 Sheets-Sheet 1. J. H. GRUMB.

TRAGT'ION ENGINE. No. 451,811.

PatentedMay 5, 1891.

ATTORNEYS.

me News rusas co., Huw-urne., wsnmamu, n. c.

3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

-(No Model.)

J. H. CRUMB. TRAGTION ENGINE.

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A TTUHIVEYS.

me nun'ms venus co1, sumo-umu, wnsmnnwu, n. c.

3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

(No Model.)

J. H. RUMB.

TRAGTIONv ENGINE.v

Patented May 5,1891.

ATTORNEYS.

VNTTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOI-IN H. CRUMB, OFy BURLINGAME, KANSAS.

TRACTlON-ENGINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 451,811, dated May 5, 1891.

Application led October '7, 1890. YSerial No. 367,357. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN H. CRUMB, of Burlingame, in the county of Osage and State of Kansas, have invented a new and Improved Traction-Engine, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to an improvement in traction-engines, particularly to the manner of propelling andl guiding the same; and the object of the invention is to provide a means whereby all thewheels may, if desired, be used as drive or traction wheels; and the further object of the invention is to construct the driving and steering mechanism in a simple and durable manner and provide a means whereby the engine may be moved off bodily in any direction without turning.

The invention consists of a novel construction and combination of parts hereinafter fully described, and specifically pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar figures of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a plan View. Fig. 2 is a side elevation. Fig. 3 is an end view. Fig. et is a detail view of the reversing and speed-regulating mechanism, and Fig. 5 is a detail section of one of the wheel-bearings. Fig. 6 is a side elevation of a horizontal engine supported in accordance with my invention.

In carrying out the invention the boiler 7 and engine S, which are of the vertical type, are supported upon a horizontal hase preferably of semicircular contour, provided at the straight side at the ends with upwardly and outwardly curved hoods 9, as best shown in Fig. 2. At the outer angle of each hood a vertical bore is made to form, essentially, a sleeve 12. The sleeves 12 of the base rest upon pedestals or bearings 13. rlhe pedestals or bearings 13 consist of a bifurcated casting provided at the lower end of the several members with suitable boxes 15, adapted to receive the axles 16 of the drive-wheels 14, as best shown in Fig. 5, the latter being provided with independent axles and bearing-boxes, and are held to rotate in the space intervening the members of the pedestals. A shoulder 18 is formed upon the pedestals to support the Sleeves 12, and the upper ends of the pedestals are 'usually reduced and passed through the said sleeves and made to terminate each in a horizontally-located worm-wheel 19. The Worm-wheels, and likewise the pedestals, are provided with a perpendicular bore, the said bore passing through the upper extension of the pedestal, and preferably through the inner member thereof to and intersecting with a horizontal recess 2O above the bearings of the drive-wheel. Aperpendicular shaft 2l is held to revolve in the bore of each pedestal, being stepped in the surface above one of the boxes 15 and provided near the lower end with a bevel-gear 22a, rotating in the recess 2O and meshing with a similar gear 22, secured to the inner face of the corresponding drive-wheel-concentric with the hub. Upon the upper end of the shaft 21, which extends through and beyond the worm-wheel 19, a bevel-gear 23 is keyed or otherwise secured.

Instead of the pedestals being provided with a tubular integral extension passing through and rotating in the base-sleeve 12, a steel sleeve 24. may be substituted, as illustrated in Fig. 5, extending partially or entirely the length of the bore and splined or otherwise attached tothe body of the pedestal. A pedestal similar to the one described is located beneath each hood, and the drivewheels are brought well under the base the better to support the same. The drive-wheels having no direct connection with each other are capable of being independently turned in any direction, ample room being provided beneath the hood to that end. A line-shaft 25 is longitudinally supported in proper bearings at an elevation above the base, provided with a bevel-gear 27 at each end, meshing with the bevel-gear 23, and a disked wheel 28, provided upon one face with three annular spaced rows of beveled teeth 29, 30, and 31,- as best shown in Fig. 4. A horizontal crank or drive-shaft 32 is horizontally journaled in standards projected upward from the base, which shaft is connected with the drivingrod of the engine, as best shown in Fig. 2. Upon the outer end of the drive-shaft a bevel-gear 33 is secured, and near said gear a fiy-wheel 34 is located upon the shaft. -An adjustable connection is effected between the engine-shaft and line-shaft by means of a diagonal shaft 35, having a bearing at one IOS ' and 40 in mesh with the bevel-gear of thev end in the base and in a standard 36, secured to said base, as best shown in Fig. 4. At the base-bearing of the diagonal shaft a collar 37 is fixed to the base, `adapted to support a bevel-pinion 38, fixed to the lower end of a sleeve 39, splined upon the said shaft 35, -the said sleeve having attached to the upper end an opposing pinion 40. If in practice it is found desirable, friction-gear may be substituted for the toothed gear 33, 38, and 40. By bringing the 'respective bevel-pinion 38 drive-shaft by means of the shifting-lever 40 the machine may be driven forward or backward, as desired, as the upper end ofthe diagonal shaftis in engagement with the disked gear 28.

The speed of the machine is controlled by a series of bevel-pinions 4l, 42, and 48, splined upon the upper end of the inclined shaft, beingbrought 1n mesh with the contiguous rows of teeth upon the said disked wheel, which may be accomplished by the manipulation of the shifting-lever 44, attached to the hubs of the pinions, as best shown in Fig. 4.

If in practice it is found desirable, other means than those illustrated may be employed to reverse the power and regulate the speed. The construction shown is, however, preferred. The wheels I4 are guided at the will of the driver by a short transverse shaft 45, provided upon the inner end with a hand-wheel, and at the outer end with spaced bevel-gears 46 and 47, as best shown in Fig. l. Either of these gears 46 and 47 may be made to mesh with similar bevel-gears 48 and 49, secured to the opposing ends of longitudinal shafts 50 and 5l, which shafts are provided at their outer ends with a worm 52, meshing with the respective worm-wheels 19.

For ordinary guiding purposes, when the hand-wheel is turned the front drive-wheel is turned in one direction and the hind drivewheel to the same extent in an opposite direction, causing the hind wheels to track with the front and travel the same distance; but should it be desirable to move the engine bodily in any direction without turning it is only necessary to throw gear 48 or 49 into the opposing gear, (by means of any suitable 1ever,) whereupon the drive-wheels will all be turned in one direction. It is evidentthat the wheels 14 may pass entirely around the perpendicular shaft 2l and the bevel-gear 22 without disturbing theproper relation between the said driving-gear 22 and the driven gear 22a, fast to the wheels. 'l

The form of engine above described is specially adapted for use for general farm work, such as plowing, propelling a reaper, or drawing loads on 'the road. Two large wheels only are employed in this style of engine, and both are located upon one side, the other side being supported by a caster-wheel 52, located at the center near the outer edges. This caster-wheel is vertically adjustable, in order that if the two large wheels are traveling in a furrow or rut the caster-wheel may be elevated to preserve a true horizontal position of the base. To that end the shank 53 of the wheel-bearing is passed through a sleeve 54, secured in the base, and the said shank is slotted to receive a cam 55, which cam is pivoted in the upper end of the sleeve, as best shown in Fig. 3. It will be observed by reference to Fig. 6 that a horizontal engine may bel supported in similar manner. When such an engine is used, however, four wheels are employed and guided in such manner that .the hind wheels may be turned in an opposite direction from the front wheels, each hind wheel tracking its fellow front wheel, or all the wheels may be turned at the same time in the same direction, thus allowing the engine to move off bodily in any direction without turning, which also applies to the machine illustrated in Fig. 1.

The base of the machine may be of any desired shape, and is preferably constructed with two spaced walls, in which event it is utilized as a water-tank.

I do not confine myselfto the use of one caster-wheel, as more may be employed if desirable.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is-

l. In a traction-engine, the combination, with a frame, of two drive-wheels journaled in supports mounted to revolve in the frame at one side and at the forward and rear ends thereof, mechanism for turning said supports simultaneously, and a easter-wheel at the other side of the frame, substantially as described.

2. In a traction-engine or similar vehicle, the combination, with the body, of revoluble pedestals carried thereby and a drive-wheel journaled in each of the said pedestals, substantially as shown and described.

3 In a traction-engine or similar vehicle, the combination, with a base provided with upwardly and outwardly curved hoods at the extremity, of revoluble pedestals connected with the base beneath the hoods, and drivewheels journaled in said pedestals, substantially as shown and described.

4. In a traction-engine or similar vehicle, the combination, with a horizontal base provided with upwardly and outwardly curved hoods, of revoluble pedestals connected with the base beneath the hoods, drive-wheels journaled in said pedestals, and adjustable caster-wheels supporting one side of the base, substantially as shown and described.

5. In a traction-engine or similar vehicle, the combination, with a horizontal base provided With upwardly and outwardly curved hoods and adjustable pedestals connected with the base beneath the hoods, of a drivewheel journaled in each pedestal, provided with an internal gear, a vertical shaft journaled in each of said pedestals, a gear-wheel secured to the lower end of said shaft, mesh- IOO IIO

ing with the gear of thel drive-wheel, and means, substantially as described, for rotating the perpendicular shafts, as and for the purpose specified.

6. In a traction-engine or similar vehicle, the combination, with the base, an engine mounted thereon, a drive-shaft connected with the engine, pedestals revolubly attached to the base, and drive-wheels journaled in said pedestals, provided with an internal gear, of a vertical shaft journaled in each pedestal, provided at the upper and lower ends with a gear-wheel, the lower gear meshing with the drive-wheel gear, a horizontal shaft connecting the vertical shafts, and a connection between said horizontal shaft and drive-shaft, substantially as shown and described.

7. In a traction-engine or similar Vehicle, the combination,with the base-pedestals revolubly attached to the same, provided with a worm-wheelatthe upper end,anddrivewheels journaled in said pedestals, of Worm-shafts connecting said pedestals and provided with bevel-gears, and a shifting counter-shaft at a right angle to the'Worm-shafts, provided With bevel-gear meshing with the gear of the Worin-shaft, substantially as shown and described.

8. In a traction-engine or similar vehicle, the combination, with a base provided at each end at the straight side with a projection, a vertically-adjustable caster-wheel swiveled in one side of the base, revoluble pedestals attached to the base beneath the said projections, provided With a worm-Wheel at the upper end, drive-wheels journaled in said pedestals, having attached thereto a bevel-gear, and a vertical shaft journaled in each pedestal, provided with an upper and lower bevelgear, of Worin-shafts connecting the pedestals in pairs, a shifting shaft engaging the wormshaft, and means, substantially as described, for revolving the vertical pedestal-shafts, as and for the purpose specified.

JOI-IN H. CRUMB.

Vitnesses:

S. H. NEWMAN, ED. S. FIsH. 

